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OCTOBER,    1893 


CONTENTS. 

The  Connecticut  Fertilizer  Law, 

Acts  concerning  Connecticut  Fertilizers. 

Cotton  Seed  Meal  as  a  Fertilizer  and  Feed, 

Description  of  Samples, 

Analyses  of  Cotton  Seed  Meal, 


Page 

3 


THE    CONNECTICUT    FERTILIZER    LAW. 

Tlie  General  Assembly  at  its  Session  in  1893  passed  an  act, 
Chapter  CLXXII,  amending  the  fertilizer  law  previously  in  force 
in  Connecticut. 

The  attention  of  all  concerned  is  called  to  the  following  copy 
of  the  General  Statutes  of  the  State  regarding  fertilizers  which 
embodies  the  amendments  and  is  the  law  now  in  force. 

Copies  of  the  law  may  be  had  on  application  to  the  Station. 
Attention  is  specially  called  to  the  following  requirements. 

1.  In  case  of  all  fertilizers  or  manures,  except  stable  manure 
and  the  products  of  local  manufacturers  of  less  value  than  ten 
dollars  a  ton,  the  law  holds  the  seller  responsible  for  affixing 
a  correct  label  or  statement  to  every  package  or  lot  sold  or  offered, 
as  well  as  for  the  paymeyit  of  an  analysis  fee  of  ten  dollars  for 
each  fertilizing  ingredient  which  the  fertilizer  contains  or  is 
claimed  to  contain,  unless  the  manufacturer  or  importer  shall 
have  provided  labels  or  statements  and  shall  have  paid  the  fee. 
Sections  4005  and  4007. 

The  Station  understands  "  the  fertilizing  ingredients  "  to  be  those  whose  de- 
termination in  an  analysis  is  necessary  for  a  valuation,  viz :  Nitrogen,  Phosphoric 
acid  and  Potash.  The  analysis-fees  in  case  of  any  fertilizer  will  therefore  be  ten, 
twenty  or  thirty  dollars,  according  as  one,  two  or  three  of  these  ingredients  are 
contained  or  claimed  to  exist  in  the  fertilizer. 

2.  The  law  also  requires,  in  the  case  of  every  commercial  fertil- 
izer, that  a  sealed  sample  shall  be  deposited  with  the  Director  of 
the  Station  by  the  manufacturer  or  importer,  and  that  a  cer- 
tified statement  of  composition,  etc.,  shall  be  filed  with  him,  Sec- 
tion 4006. 

A  statement  of  the  per  cent,  of  Nitrogen,  Phosphoric  acid  (P2O5)  and  Potash 
(K2O),  and  of  their  several  states  or  forms,  will  suffice  in  most  cases.  Other  in- 
gredients may  be  named  if  desired. 

In  all  cases  the  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  must  be  stated.  Ammonia  may  also  be 
given  when  actually  present  in  ammonia  salts,  and  "  ammonia  equivalent  to 
nitrogen"  may  likewise  be  stated. 

The  per  cent,  of  soluble  and  reverted  phosphoric  acid  may  be  given  separately 
or  together,  and  the  term  "available"  may  be  used  in  addition  to,  but  not  instead 
of,  soluble  and  reverted. 


The  percentage  of  insoluble  phosphoric  acid  may  be  stated  or  omitted. 

In  case  of  Bone,  Fish,  Tankage,  Dried  Meat,  Dried  Blood,  etc.,  the  chemical 
composition  may  take  account  of  the  two  ingredients :  Nitrogen,  Phosphoric 
Acid. 

For  Potash  Salts  give  always  the  per  cent,  of  Potash  (potassium  oxide) :  that 
of  Sulphate  of  Potash  or  Muriate  of  Potash  may  also  be  stated. 

The  chemical  composition  of  other  fertilizers  may  be  given  as  found  in  the 
Station  Reports. 

3.  It  is  also  provided  that  every  person  in  the  State,  who 
sells  any  coinmercial  fertilizer  of  lohatever  kind  or  ^yrice,  shall 
annually  report  certain  facts  to  the  Director  of  the  Experiment 
Station,  and  on  demand  of  the  latter  shall  deliver  a  sample  for 
analysis.     Section  4008. 

4.  All  "  CHEMICALS  "  that  are  applied  to  land,  such  as  :  Muriate 
of  Potash,  Kainite,  Sulphate  of  Potash  and  Magnesia,  Sulphate 
of  Lime  (Gypsum  or  Land  Plaster),  Sulphate  of  Ammonia, 
Nitrate  of  Potash,  Nitrate  of  Soda,  etc. — are  considered  to  come 
under  the  law  as  "  Commercial  Fertilizers."  Dealers  in  these 
chemicals  must  see  that  packages  are  suitably  labeled.  They 
must  also  report  them  to  the  Station,  and  see  that  the  analysis 
fees  are  duly  paid,  in  order  that  the  Director  may  be  able  to 
discharge  his  duty  as  prescribed  in  Section  4013  of  the   Act. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  State  exacts  no  license  tax  either  for  making  or 
dealing  in  fertilizers.  For  the  safety  of  consumers  and  the  benefit  of  honest 
manufacturers  and  dealers,  the  State  requires  that  it  be  known  what  is  offered 
for  sale,  and  whether  fertilizers  are  what  they  purport  to  be.  With  this  object 
in  view  the  law  provides,  in  Section  4013,  that  all  fertilizers  be  analyzed  and  it 
requires  the  parties  making  or  selling  them  to  pay  for  these  analyses  in  part :  the 
State  itself  paying  in  part  by  maintaining  the  Kxperiment  Station. 


ACTS  CONCERNING   COMMERCIAL  FERTILIZERS. 

Chapter  CCLIII  of  the  General  Statutes  of  Connecticut  as 
amended  by  Chapter  CLXXII  of  the  4kCts  of  the  General 
Assembly,  Session  of  1 893. 

SECTioisr  4005.     Every  person  or  company  who  shall  sell,  offer.    Printed  state- 

•'    ^  ^        •'  '  '  menttobeaffixed 

or  expose  for  sale,  in  this  State,  any  commercial  fertilizer  or  manure  a^a^ "o  ^'o^'^w^th 
except  stable  manure  and  the  products  of  local  manufacturers  of  *"^°'^- 
less  value  than  ten  dollars  a  ton,  shall  affix  conspicuously  to  every 
package  thereof  a  plainly  printed  statement  clearly    and   truly 


T 


'  certifying  the  number  of  net  pounds  of  fertilizer  in  the  package, 
the  name,  brand,  or  trade-mark  under  which  the  fertilizer  is  sold, 
the  name  and  address  of  the  manufacturer,  the  place  of  manu- 
facture and  the  chemical  composition  of  the  fertilizer,  expressed 
in  the  terras  and  manner  approved  and  usually  employed  by  the 
Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

If  any  such  fertilizer  be.   sold  in  bulk,    such  printed  statement 

shall  accompany  every  lot  and    parcel    sold,  offered,    or   exposed 

for  sale. 

tifled^copies'^of      ^^*^-  "^^06.     Bcforc  any  commercial  fertilizer  is  sold,  offered,  or 

se^aTed^siunpie  exposed    for    sale,    the    manufacturer,   importer,  or  person    who 

witu  director. '^   causcs  it  to  be  sold,  or  offered  for  sale,  within  this  state  shall  file 

with  the  director  of   the    Connecticut   Agricultural  Experiment 

Station  two  certified  coj^ies  of  the  statement  prescribed  in  section 

4005,  and  shall  deposit  with  said  director  a  sealed  glass  jar   or 

bottle    containing    not    less    than    one   pound    of    the   fertilizer, 

accompanied   by  an    afiidavit   that  it    is  a   fair  average   sample 

thereof. 

Analysis  fee  to      Sec.  4007.     The  manufacturer,  importer,  ao;ent,  or  seller  of  any 

be  paid  annually  ■>         v  ■>      o         j  j 

May  1°'  ^^''°^^  commercial  fertilizer  shall  pay  on  or  before  May  1,  annually,  to  the 
director  of  the  Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  an 
analysis  fee  of  ten  dollars  for  each  of  the  fertilizing  ingredients 
contained  or  claimed  to  exist  in  said  fertilizer :  provided,  that 
when  the  manufacturer  or  importer  shall  have  paid  the  fee  herein 
required  for  any  person  acting  as  agent  or  seller  for  such  manu- 
facturer or  importer,  such  agent  or  seller  shall  not  be  required  to 
pay  the  fee  prescribed  in  this  section. 
Yearly  report      Sec.  4008.     Evcrv  pcrsou  in  tliis  State  who  sells,  or  acts  as  local 

to     station     of  •'    ^  ' 

dealers oragents  agent  for  the  salc  of  any  commercial  fertilizer  of  whatever  kind 
or  price,  shall  annually,  or  at  the  time  of  becoming  such  seller  or 
agent,  report  to  the  director  of  the  Connecticut  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station  his  name,  residence,  and  post-ofiice  address, 
and  the  name  and  brand  of  said  fertilizer,  with  the  name  and 
address  of  the  manufacturer,  importer,  or  party  from  whom  such 
fertilizer  was  obtained,  and  shall,  on  demand  of  the  director  of  the 
Connecticut  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  deliver  to  said 
director  a  sample  suitable  for  analysis  of  any  such  fertilizer  or 
manure  then  and  there  sold  or  offered  for  sale  by  said  seller  or 
agent. 

Leather.  Sec.  4009.     No  persou  Or  party  shall  sell,  offer,  or  expose  for 

sale,  in  this  state  any  pulverized  leather,  raw,  steamed,    roasted, 


or  in  any  form,  as  a  fertilizer  or  as  an  ingredient  of  any  fertilizer 
or  manure,  without  explicit  printed  certificate  of  the  fact,  such 
certificate  to  be  conspicuously  affixed  to  every  package  of  such 
fertilizer  or  manure,  and  to  accompany  every  parcel  or  lot  of  the 
same. 

Sec.  4010.  Every  manufacturer  of  fish  guano,  or  fertilizers  offish  guano,  etc. 
which  the  principal  ingredient  is  fish  or  fish-mass  from  which  the 
oil  has  been  extracted,  shall,  before  manufacturing  or  heating  the 
same,  and  within  thirty-six  hours  from  the  time  such  fish  or  mass 
'has  been  de)ivered  to  him,  treat  the  same  with  sulphuric  acid  or 
other  chemical,  approved  by  the  director  of  said  experiment 
station,  in  such  quantity  as  to  arrest  decomposition  :  provided, 
however,  that  in  lieu  of  such  treatment  such  manufacturers  may 
provide  a  means  for  consuming  all  smoke  and  vapors  arising  from 
such  fertilizers  duriag  the  process  of  manufacture. 

Sec.  401].     Any  person  violating  any  provision  of  the  foregoing  I'enaities. 
sections  of  this  chapter  shall  be  fined  one  hundred  dollars  for  the 
first    oflFense,    and    two    hundred    dollars    for    each    subsequent 
violation. 

Sec.  4012.     This  chapter  shall  not  affect  parties  manufacturing,    r«rtiiizers  for 

A  '  •^'  private  use. 

importing,  or  purchasing  fertilizer  for  their  own  private  use,  and 

not  to  sell  in  this  State. 

Sec.  4013.     The    director    of    the    Connecticut    Agricultural    Director's  dn- 
c,      ■  1     •    f  •      T    1      ■•  •     '''^**  ^°'^  author- 

Experiment  Station  shall  pay  the  analysis-fees  received    by  mm  "y- 

into  the  treasury  of  the  station,  and  shall  cause  one  or  more 
analyses  of  each  fertilizer  to  be  made  and  published  annually. 
Said  director  is  hereby  authorized,  in  person  or  by  deputy,  to  take 
samples  for  analysis  from  any  lot  or  package  of  manure  or  fertili- 
zer which  may  be  in  the  possession  of  any  dealer. 

Sec.  4014.     The    director    of    the     Connecticut     Agricultural  Bulletins. 
Experiment  Station  shall,  from  time  to  time,  as  bulletins  of  said 
station  may  be  issued,  mail  or  cause  to  be  mailed  two  copies,  at 
least,  of  such  bulletins  to  each  post-office  in  the  State. 


COTTON    SEED   MEAL  AS  A  FERTILIZER  AND  FEED. 

The  following  analyses  of  Cotton  Seed  Meal  have  been  made 
at  this  Station  daring  the  present  year. 

While  they  were  made  in  the  interest  of  those  who  were 
buying  the  meal  to  use  as  a  fertilizer,  they  are  worth  the  atten- 
tion also  of  those  who  ai'e  now  using  or  who  intend  during  the 
winter  season,  to  use  Cotton  Seed  Meal  as  feed  for  stock. 

The  eight  analyses  which  have  the  first  place  in  the  table 
represent  decorticated  meal  of  fair  quality  made  from  upland 
cotton. 

The  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  found  in  No.  3781  is  higher  than  has 
ever  been  observed  in  any  sample  analyzed  here,  8.08  per  cent. 

The  per  cent  of  nitrogen  found  in  No.  3832  is  very  low  for 
pure  meal,  but  the  sample  does  not  appear  to  be  adulterated. 
The  other  differences  in  nitrogen,  among  these  eight  samples,  are 
such  as  occur  constantly  and  are  due  to  differences  of  soil  and 
fertilizers  on  which  the  cotton  was  raised  and  to  differences  in  the 
thoroughness  of  the  hulling. 

Owing  to  increased  foreign  demand  the  price  of  cotton  seed 
meal  has  advanced  sharply  so  that  it  is  no  more  our  cheapest 
source  of  available  nitrogen.  Thus  the  average  cost  of  nitrogen 
in  these  eight  samples,  analyzed  in  1893  was  17^  cents  per  pound. 

Last  year  the  average  cost  was  only  about  15  cents,  nevertheless 
meal  of  prime  quality  is  still  a  profitable  fertilizer  to  use  if 
bought  at  |30  or  even  $3]  per  ton. 

Special  attention  is  called  to  the  three  samples,  3833^  3827  and 
3856.  They  contain  somewhat  more  than  half  as  much  nitrogen 
and  considerably  less  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  than  the  other 
samples,  but  were  sold  for  only  a  dollar  or  two  less  per  ton. 

These  are  "  Cotton  Seed  Meal "  as  well  as  the  other  but  are 
made  from  the  Seed  of  Sea  Island  Cotton  ground  loith  the  hulls. 
They  ai"e  readily  distinguished  by  their  dark  color  and  the 
presence  of  hard  black  fragments  of  hulls. 

As  fertilizers  they  are  not  worth  more  than  $18.00  per  ton 
when  bright  decorticated  meal  can  be  bought  for  $30.00. 

It  is  quite  likely  that  this  sort  of  meal  will  be  put  on  our 
market  more  commonly  than  heretofore. 

In  ordering  Meal  to  use  as  a  Feed  or  as  a  Fertilizer,  purchasers 
should  require  Decorticated,  Upland  Cotton  Seed  Meal  containing  at 


least  6.5  per  cent,  of  Nitrogen,  unless  they  are  willing  to  use  the 
other,  greatly  inferior  meal,  which  cannot  be  economically  done  unless 
it  can  be  got  for  a  greatly  reduced  price. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  undecorticated  naeal  is  in  any 
way  injurious  to  stock;  indeed  some  feeders  prefer  it  to  the 
clear  decorticated  meal  on  the  ground  that  it  is  less  likely  to  cloy 
cattle  if  fed  in  large  quantity. 

But  both  its  manurial  and  its  feed  value  are  much  less  than 
those  of  decorticated  meal. 

Description  of  Samples. 

3848.  Sold  by  A.  H.  Rice,  Granby.  Sampled  by  H.  A. 
Sheldon,  West  Suffield. 

4025.  Sold  by  Olds  &  Whipple,  Hartford,  in  the  fall  of  1892. 
Sampled  by  Eugene  Brown,  Poquonock. 

3781.  Bought  at  the  south  by  A.  Pouleur,  Windsor,  and 
sampled  by  him. 

3881.  Sold  by  Olds  &  Whipple.  Sampled  by  Station  Agent 
from  stock  of  J.  A.  DuBon. 

3858.  Sold  by  Olds  &  Whipple,  Hartford,  in  spring  of  1893. 
Sampled  by  Eugene  Brown,  Poquonock. 

3861.  Sold  by  Edward  Austin,  Suffield.  Sampled  by  O.  E. 
Pitcher,  Enfield. 

3924.  Sold  by  C.  H.  Dexter  &  Sons,  Windsor  Locks.  Sam- 
pled by  Eugene  Brown  and  T.  B.  Hathaway  from  stock  sold  to 
several  purchasers. 

3832.  Sold  by  J.  H.  Viets,  Copper  Hill.  Sampled  by  S.  D. 
Viets. 

3833.  Sold  by  J.  H.  Viets.     Sampled  by  S.  D.  Viets. 
3827.     Sold  by  C.  H.  Dexter  &  Sons,  Windsor  Locks.     Sam- 
pled by  Eugene  Brown,  Poquonock. 

3856.  Sold  by  E.  S.  Hough,  Poquonock.  Sampled  by  Eugene 
Brown,  Poquonock. 

3941.  Sold  by  Horace  Griffin,  East  Granby.  Sampled  by 
B.  L,  Alderman,  West  Suffield. 

3943.  Sold  by  J.  H.  Viets,  Copper  Hill.  Sampled  by  S.  D. 
Viets, 


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